EDITORIAL | Clinton Larsen has earned a contract extension
Now they are assured of another season in the top flight of SA soccer, Chippa United must waste no time in ensuring solid building blocks are put in place.
Having avoided the big drop by the skin of their teeth, coach Clinton Larsen must be given the ammunition to improve on a showing that left his team only three points above the relegation zone.
Although club boss Siviwe Mpengesi has expressed his interest in keeping Larsen, the coach has set some ground rules of his own before signing on the dotted line.
Larsen was brought in at the beginning of the year on a six-month contract to replace Joel Masutha and save Chippa from relegation.
The former Bloemfontein Celtic mentor has passed the test and surely deserves a contract extension.
Larsen has stressed the importance of having the correct administration, development and a holistic approach in place to ensure the club makes progress in the Premier League.
The innovative coach has made it known that the club must not fall into the trap of selling key players if they want to challenge for honours in a highly competitive environment.
Larsen said one of the reasons he came to Port Elizabeth was that he felt Chippa were a sleeping giant who were not reaching their full potential.
He is correct when he says that Chippa must find the right players for key positions if they want to reach their full potential.
Known for firing coaches when the club are on a losing streak, Mpengesi continued to show faith in Larsen when his club looked as if they would fall through the trap door and into the lower leagues.
Mpengesi has also made it known that he plans to beef up his team’s backroom staff after the exit of Morgan Mammila and Peter Koutroulis.
If Larsen gets another chance, the club could find themselves in the top half and challenging for the title.
At the moment Larsen and Mpengesi are making the right noises!
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